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I’m Bob Larson. PTSD is a problem usually associated with soldiers or others involved in traumatic incidents like war. But researchers at Oregon State University believe they’ve found similar biomarkers in cattle involved in wolf attacks.

I asked OSU Animal Scientist, Reinaldo Cooke if their findings give ranchers more ammunition in their wolf argument …

REINALDO COOKE … “I think that this is just one more piece of information to help with the whole cattle and wolf discussion. You know, I don’t take sides. I think all species have the right to thrive and be out there. We just need to know what kind of interaction is going on out there. So, we can think about the best interest of cattle producers and showing that there is evidence that production is going down so profitability of those operations is being impaired. We also have to think about the cows themselves, that they’re going through a welfare issue with predators around.”

Cooke says the study helps them better understand the dynamic between cattle and their new predatory neighbors …

REINALDO COOKE … “They were there 100 years ago. They went away and they’re coming back now so it’s a different cow population than we had 100 years ago. But, also, we have to think about the wolves. They have the right to be there as well. That used to be there original habitat, but they just disappeared and they’re coming back again. I think we have to take all those pieces of information and put together and make sure we come up with a good strategy to benefit everybody.”

Cooke says the Oregon Beef Council funded the study.

He says there’s likely to be more research into ways of successfully managing both wolves and livestock so they can co-exist.